I know enabling GZIP compression saves on bandwidth, but how does it affect server load (ie. CPU and RAM) ?

If gzip is used, the server has to compress the files, so technically it does use a bit of server load. However, unless you set the compression level to like 9, it should be fine.

If gzip is used, the server has to compress the files, so technically it does use a bit of server load. However, unless you set the compression level to like 9, it should be fine.

How do you change the compression?

How do you change the compression?

It's a setting in the admin area, in the same spot as "Use compression?."

How do you change the compression?

http://us3.php.net/manual/en/function.ob-gzhandler.php

ob_gzhandler compression level use zlib.output_compression_level, which is -1 per default, level 6.

To change the compression level on the fly, simply use ini_set:

<?php

ini_set('zlib.output_compression_level', 1);

ob_start('ob_gzhandler');

echo 'This is compressed at level 1';

?>

Note that I haven't really played around with this much - I've set compression level in scripts when using zlib.output_compression, but not ob_gzhandler. It's safer to just leave it on the server default usually.

Sounds hard